The Quidditch Cup - Sweden
by Fawkes2
Summary: hey, please r/r this........I openly accept criricism, as this series is just starting and could use some pointers.....remember to read the series in order.....I should have more chapters soon! - Fawkes
1. Default Chapter Title

Chapter One  
The Quidditch Banquet  
  
"Harry! Wake up! Harry!" a voice said. "Wah?!? What are you doing?" "Harry, today's the day! The day of the selection!" the voice spoke again. "Oh, yeah!" Harry said, quickly jumping out of bed and putting on his Chudley Cannon quidditch robes. Last summer, Harry had been signed to the Cannons (much to the great excitement of Ron, his best friend who loves the Cannons) and, after an outstanding rookie year, was one of the front runners to be named as starting seeker for the England quidditch team this fall for the forthcoming quidditch world cup. The ceremony was tonight, but the entire quidditch league was invited to attend a banquet, which included the leagues from Wales, Scotland, and Ireland, as well as an expected visit from the Swedish Head of Magical Games and Sports, Nicklas Eyrdsonn. Sweden was hosting the quidditch world cup this year, and Sweden was also expected to be one of the top contenders in the cup. The voice that had woken him was that of Oliver Wood, who, after a very serious accident with the Puddlemere United team, was transferred to the Cannons as well. Oliver was on the line of making the national team, but Harry was pushing for him all the way. Oliver and Harry talked on and on about the cup, and finally, at half past twelve, Apparated to the banquet hall in London.  
Upon arrival, they were greeted by several members of the Magical Games and Sports department, and then took a seat in the hall. The speech by Eyrdsonn was very dull and boring, but they sat it out and could hardly wait until the food was served. With one last word and a swish of his wand, Eyrdsonn served the food and was off. Harry quickly went and sat next to an Irish Games and Sports Department member he knew from school, Seamus Finnigan. Seamus was sitting with the entire Irish league quidditch teams, whom he had been eagerly awaiting to meet ever since he first saw them at the quidditch cup when he was in school. After a few drinks and a short lunch, Seamus announced that the Irish team had to leave, because they had there own selection in Dublin in a few hours. Harry bid them farewell, and spent the remaining time in a heated conversation with Oliver over the two newest broomstick that were on the market, the Heaven's Angel and the Pride 206, and which one was better. -  
  
  
  
  



	2. Default Chapter Title

Chapter Two  
The Selection  
  
Harry wanted to sleep the remaining time until the banquet, but his stomach was tossing and turning with every step he took. The familiar feeling or nervousness was beginning to take him over, but he recovered quickly and reminded himself what Oliver must be going through, being on the edge of the team. Harry decided to ask Oliver if he wished to play wizard chess with him, and Oliver, somewhat reluctantly, agreed. They played for almost an hour, as it seemed to take their mind off the upcoming selections, but, nonetheless, it was nearly time to Apparate. They were already in their quidditch robes from earlier, and just had to brush their teeth and comb their hair before they left.  
Upon arrival at the banquet hall, they were amazed at how much it had changed. There were now at least a thousand fires that had magically been planted into the walls surrounding the hall. Harry supposed that they were for people to view by floo powder, and in a moment his suspicions were verified. "Ah, Harry! Oliver! Over here!" It was Cornelius Fudge, former minister of magic and now head of the Department of Unspeakables. "How do you like our floo network, eh? Took all day to set it up. We had to take a list of all the people who wanted to view the selection. Mind you it was packed too, but you'll be happy to know that the Weasley family's name was on the list," he added with a wink in Harry's direction. "Great!" Harry replied, with a look of great excitement. "Oh, yes, and Oliver, your mother and father are also connected to the network," Fudge added. "Thank you sir," Oliver responded.  
After Fudge had left to greet more incoming wizards, Harry and Oliver split up. Oliver had seen some friends from the Puddlemere United team, and Harry had seen one of his best friends, Hermione Granger. Hermione was now the second-in-command of the Department for International Magic Cooperation and was president for S.P.E.W. (Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare), which had not grown much since Harry had joined it in his school days. Hermione, who was dating the seeker for the Bulgarian national team, Viktor Krum, had been keen to inform Harry that the Bulgarian selections had already taken place, and Krum had won the place of seeker by a margin of ninety-four percent. Krum is the best player in Bulgaria and possibly the world. Hermione said she had to go and talk to some other members of her department, so Harry decided to go up front to his reserved seat in the front of the hall. He sat there for no longer than maybe five minutes before Ludo Bagman, the Head of the Department of Magical games and sports, stepped to the podium in the front of the hall, and waited for silence. "Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome! Welcome to the selection ceremonies for the international team of England! I need not blabber you with endless speeches, so I'll cut right to the chase. We have many very talented nominees in the room, but only fifteen players will make the team. I will be presenting the selection for the team, and if you don't make it, always remember if you don't make it, work on your game, and I assure you, you'll be back next year! For the first selection, I shall present beaters. We have twelve nominees, but only four will make the team. So, without further adieu, we shall start." Right about then, Harry almost fainted. He was nervous beyond reality. Nothing had meant anything this important to him before. He had just enough conscience to hear the name "Oliver Wood" as a keeper, and let out a feeble cheer. The next group was chasers. And after that...seekers. The time had come. Bagman opened his mouth and spoke, "for seekers, the three that make it will be; From the Plymouth United team, Cho Chang...from the Birmingham Dragons, William Everlake...and from the Chudley Cannons, Harry Potter." Those last four words were like warm butterbeer running through his veins. He was swarmed with pride, and felt himself turning red from the applause surrounding him. Oliver gave him a five, and Ludo continued, "Last but not least, the captain for this year's cup, will be, chaser, Floyd McDonald. I thank you all for coming, and we wish the team best luck in the cup!" With that, Ludo was off, and a magical shower of pamphlets reading the names of the players selected for the team cascaded down from the ceiling. Harry and Oliver, who were joined by Hermione, grabbed one each, and made for a quick exit in the back to avoid the chaos of a wild party in the banquet hall. They sent an owl to the Weasleys and Woods to join them, and headed for a private celebration at Harry and Oliver's hotel room. When there, they each read the roster for the team, and then began the celebrations.  
  



	3. Default Chapter Title

Chapter Three  
The Team  
  
The celebrations began almost as soon as they arrived at the hotel room. The Weasleys were already there, and Harry was almost bowled over by Ron, who came running towards Harry to give him a high five. At that moment, a pop from a few feet to Ron's left signaled the arrival of Oliver's parents. "Hi Mum, hi Dad!" Oliver practically screamed. "Ah, yes. Good job Oliver! And Harry too!" Oliver's father replied. "Your mother was practically eating off her nails, until the announcement. Then she was balling with joy after that." "Well, Robert, I would think so if my son was going to be on the England national team!" Oliver's mother answered, her cheeks slightly red. "Speaking of the team, who is on the team besides Oliver and I? I was too nervous to listen" Harry prompted. "Here you go Harry, I picked on of these up" Hermione gave the pamphlet from the banquet hall to Harry, and everyone read it together:  
  
The England National Quidditch Team  
Captain:  
Floyd McDonald  
  
Chasers:  
Alicia Spinett  
Douglas Harvard  
Michael Gregory  
Michelle Lampguard  
Preston Ardon  
Timothy Redmond  
  
Keepers:  
Kelly Quall  
Oliver Wood  
James Kerrington  
  
Beaters:  
Andrew Massori  
Jacob Hertz  
Charles Marchèham  
Elizabeth Lakefield  
  
Seekers:  
Harry Potter  
Cho Chang  
William Everlake  
"oooo, Harry! Cho is a seeker too!" Hermione excitedly put up. Cho had been Harry's girlfriend in his last years at school, but they had broke up after graduation. "I've noticed," Harry glared back. "Wait a sec, there's and owl outside the window." A large barn owl was tapping against one of the windows in the hotel room, and Harry quickly let it in. It was carrying a short letter, and Harry read it. "It says that there will be a meeting for the national team tomarrow at..........6:30 in the morning!!!! But, it's like 11:30 at night right now!" "Well, we had best be off then, Harry, you probably want a good nights sleep." Mr. Weasley had stood up and was heading for the door. "See you soon, Oliver," Oliver's mother had given him a slight kisson the cheek, and they apparated. Within a minute, the hotel romm was empty besides Harry and Oliver. "Well, we better go to bed then," Oliver said. They changed, and then sat in bed talking about the team meeting to come, until finally Harry could no longer keep his eyes open, and fell asleep.  



End file.
